How do I get a high-quality design file?

Written by

Sabrina Barnes

If you’re creating a design from scratch, we recommend creating vector format files that are much more flexible in terms of resolution and scaling.

However, if you’re creating raster format files (JPEG/PNG), it’s always best to create a high-resolution version in a large size, which can be scaled down if necessary. The same can’t be done when scaling up a small-sized JPEG/PNG file – the file quality will suffer.

For more tips, continue reading or watch our video:

What determines the image quality?

“Image quality” typically refers to the image resolution in the given size.

The overall quality is determined by the quality of the pixels, not the number of them. Our usual recommendation is 300 dots per inch (DPI). That being said, it should be kept in mind that the resolution can be increased artificially, so DPI alone does not guarantee good image quality.

Printify has added specific file requirements for each design area of a product, which you can find in our Product Creator side panel.

In case you have a low-resolution design that you want to use, we’ll automatically enhance the quality of the print file before sending the order to production so that it’s more suitable for printing. However, keep in mind that there are limitations to the level of improvement that can be achieved.

Note

Low-quality designs with artificially increased resolution won’t be automatically enhanced as they can’t be detected by the enhancement tool.

Is it possible to improve the quality of my design?

The short answer is – it depends on the design. When it comes to raster file formats (JPEG/PNG), here are your options:

Try vectorizing the file

Vectorizing will increase the sharpness of the design elements, however, it may not be an option for specific types of files, such as photos. Here’s another vectorizing tool you can try.

Scale it down

If the design is slightly blurry, scaling it down will make it less noticeable.

Recreate the design from scratch in better quality

There are several user-friendly browser-based image editors available, such as Pixlr, Photopea and Canva.
You may also want to check out GIMP, which is a free and open-source image editor.
If your design file contains only text, try our built-in Text Editor and recreate it that way.

Have the design recreated by a professional graphic designer

If you prefer to have someone else recreate the file for you, hire a graphic designer via our Experts Program.

Use a different design

You can find free designs in our Product Creator Graphics Library.
Our integration with Shutterstock offers more than 300 million high-quality images to choose from.
Check out our blog article on free resources for designs, and where to find them.

Note

If the file resolution has been artificially increased, it won’t make the pixels any clearer or crisper. It will simply change the number without having any effect on the quality of the design, and the print outcome won’t be desirable.